October 30, 2024 — Williams Lake, B.C.
Tŝilhqot’in Chiefs Call for Removal of B.C. Conservative Party Member due to Racism
The Tŝilhqot’in National Government (TNG) is calling on Conservative leader John Rustad to immediately remove Marina Sapozhnikov from the Conservative Party after racist and derogatory comments made about Indigenous people to the media. Sapozhnikov has displayed not only an alarming ignorance of Indigenous people, but a specifically racist view that can create detrimental policies and practices for Indigenous people and all of British Columbia.
The colonial history of British Columbia and Canada was perpetrated by people in positions of power sharing the same racist dismissal of Indigenous peoples as “savages.” These views were what led to the Residential School system and abuse of our way of life. The TNG calls for the immediate removal of Marina Sapozhnikov from the B.C. Conservative Party.
The Tŝilhqot’in National Government is the governing body for the Tŝilhqot’in people. The Tŝilhqot’in Nation is comprised of six communities located throughout the Tŝilhqot’in (Chilcotin) territory and is the only Nation in Canada with a court declaration of Aboriginal title (Tsilhqot’in Nation v. British Columbia).
“Not only is Sapozhnikov a B.C Conservative candidate, but she is also a practicing Doctor. Shaposhnikov’s comments are absolutely appalling and she needs to be removed from the B.C Conservative Party. It is not enough for Rustad to condemn her remarks. So long as she is welcome in the Conservative Party, we know where Rustad and the Conservative Party stands on Indigenous issues. Rustad needs to show leadership by removing her from the team.”
“For the Supreme Court of Canada to recognize Aboriginal Title we had to prove that we had policies, laws, and customs. B.C. and Canada’s laws and customs are very simple compared to ours – our laws and customs take into account our relationship with the entire environment that we exist within. We do not have the singular approach to governance that B.C. and Canada operate within.”
— Nits’ilʔin (Chief) Joe Alphonse, O.B.C, LL.D. (hon.)., Tribal Chair, Tŝilhqot’in National Government
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